Policeman&#39;s portable traffic signal device



J. G. MARTIN POLICEMANS PORTABLE TRAFFIC SIGNAL DEVICE Jan. 1, 1952 Filed Sept. 15, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Arron/vi):

Jan. 1, 1952 J. G. MARTIN 2,580,938 POLICEMANS PORTABLE TRAFFIC SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Sept. 15. 1950 2 SHEETS -SHEET 2 INVENTOR- z/os spa 6 Myer/1v M, BY

772 Wag/3W Wm ATT JH/V YS Patented Jan. 1, 1 952 2,580,938 POLICEMANS PORTABLETRAFFIC SIGNAL DEVI Joseph G. Martin, Harrisburg, Pa. Application September 15, 1950, Serial No. 185,097

' Claims.

My invention relates to a portable traffic lamp or light.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a portable lamp for use by policemen while directing traflic after dark, instead of the ordinary flashlight which is generally used, and

which is sometimes quite confusing to the motorist.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable trafiic light which may be carried in police cars, and the like, and set up for rerouting trafiic around wrecks on the highway and other trafiic hazards.

A further object is to provide a portable trafiic lamp or light of the above mentioned character which is battery-operated, simple and rugged in construction, highly compact and inexpensive to manufacture. v

A still further object of the invention is to provide a portable light of the above mentioned character which will constitute a major safety improvement in large cities where heavy traffic must be directed after dark at intersections which are not provided with the usual automatic traffic signals.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portable trafiic light embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on line 5- of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the lamp, drawn on a reduced scale and showing parts thereof in opened positions,

Figure '7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Figure 4, parts omitted.

Figure 8 is a similar view taken on line 88 of Figure 4, and Y Figure 9 is a side elevational view of a lamp embodying a modification of the invention.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration are shown preferred embodiments of myv invention, attention is directed first to Figures 1 to 8, wherein the numeral [0 designates generally an upstanding rectangular sheet metal casing or box having its top and front side open, Figure 6. The casing [0 comprises a flat bottom I I, spaced opposed parallel vertical sides 12 and a rear vertical side l3, integral therewith. The sides l2 and I3 are provided near and above their vertical centers with large circular window openings, [4, as shown. Rectangular open top lens frames I5 are secured to the inner faces of the sides I2 and [3, adjacent to the window openings I4 and these frames include spaced parallel vertical frame sides or channels [6, which are L-shaped in cross section, as shown, and bottom horizontal frame sides l1, connecting the bottom ends of the frame sides l6, and also L-shaped in transverse'cross section.

The casing Ill is equipped with a flat top closure member or lid l8, hingedly connected to the top edge of the rear side I 3, as at H, and a forward flat closure member or front cover 20 is hingedly connected at 2! to the forward edge of the lid l8 and carried bodily by the lid 18 so that the lid and cover 20 may be swung upwardly and rearwardly to their opened positions of Figure 6. When the front cover 20 is in the closed position, Figures 1 and 3, its free or bottom edge 22 terminates near and above the fiat bottom I i of the casing and the front cover 2|! overlaps a short vertical front wall or panel 23 projecting upwardly from the bottom I l and integrally connected therewith and with'the sides l2 of the casing. The bottom or free'edge 22 of the front cover 20 has a catch element 21 rigidly secured thereto for engagement with a companion catch element 25, fixedly secured to the front wall 23, as shown. The catch elements 24 and 25 'coact to releasably hold the lid 18 and front cover 20 in their closed positions. The box or casing H3 is equipped with a long U -shaped carrying bail or handle 26, pivotally connected with. the sides l2 near their tops, so that the handle or bail 25 is adapted to extend above thetop of the casing In for a substantial distance when the lamp is being carried. When the lamp is placed upon the ground or the like, the carrying bail 26 swings downwardly over either the front-or rear side of the casing l0, Figure 6. r Mounted within the casing l 0, near and spaced above its bottom I l is a horizontal support frame 21, formed of electrical insulating material, such as some suitable plastic material. The support frame 2'! comprises a flat horizontal, platform or panel 28, spaced vertically above the bottom II and extending for the full distance between the sides I 2 and from the front wall 23 to the rear side l3, as shown. The support frame 2? further includes front and rear upstanding vertical strips or plates 29 integral with the panel 28 and engaging the front wall 23 and rear side |3, and rigidly secured thereto by rivets 38 or the like. An upper horizontal panel or platform 31 is integrally secured to the tops of the vertical strip 29 and-spaced above the panel 23, as shown, and this panel 31 likewise extends for the entire width of the casing I8 and between its forward and rear sides. like the rest of the support frame 2] is formed of electrical insulating material. 3| has a large central rectangular opening 32,

covering which is a flat horizontal rectangular.

metal plate 83, which preferably has its top face silvered for forming a reflector, and de- The upper panel at.

The top panel tachably secured to the top panel 3| by screws i 1 34 or the like. The metal plate 33 has a central screw threaded aperture 35 for receiving therein the screw threaded metal'base or terminal .325. of an upstanding electric light bulb 3! having its central or inner terminal 38 projecting below the metal plate 33, the light bulb being vertically disposed, as shown. 3

Fixedly mounted upon the lower panel-.28 at the transverse center of the casing i0 is a row of upstanding generally lJ-shaped springfilips or holders 39, arranged in side by side spaced relation, as shown, the row extending from the rear side to the front of the casing. Detachably mounted within the spring clips or holders 3; and extending beyond the opposite ends of the holders, as shown, are a plurality of horizontally disposed dry cell batteries 49, likewise arranged in laterally spaced. .side by side relation, successive batteries .40 having their positive and negative terminals All and 42 extending in opposite directions, so'that the positive terminal 4| of each battery 40 is disposed laterally opposite or in alignment with the negative terminal 42 of the next adjacent battery M! in the row of batteries. The batteries 40 are parallel to .each other and to the forward and rear sides of the casing I9, and the opposite ends of the batteries 40 terminate in lateral alignment and a substitantial distance inwardly of the sides 12. All of the batteries All are electrically connected in series by means of spring conducting strips 43. arranged in electrical contact with adjacent pairs of the positive and negative terminals :4] and 54.2 of the batteries, as shown. The conducting strips 43 extend horizontally near and above the lower panel 28, and are fixedly secured to such panel by bottom tabs 44, integral therewith and receiving rivets 45 orthe like. A conducting strip or bar .45 is rigidly secured to the p f t e lower panel 28 and extending parallel to and spaced inwardly of.,t,he right hand casing side l2, looking forwardly, and spaced from the right hand and of the forward; most pair of batteries 40, Figure 41. An up standing L-shaped spring conductor or strip 41 is secured to the rear or inner end of the conducting bar 46, and includes a top horizontal arm or extension 48 arranged at an elevation slightly above the batteries 4!! and spaced below the metal plate 33, as shown. The free end of the spring arm 48 terminates substantially at the transverse center of the casing in and directly below the. light bulb 31. The arm 4a is spring biased upwardly into electrical contact with the inner terminal 38 of the light bulb. The arrangement is such that the L-shaped strip or conductor 41 carries current from the con- 2 9, as shown.

vAn elongated straight horizontally swingable conducting or switch bar 5| is arranged adjacent to the ends of the batteries 4|] remote from the-110M 46 and substantially parallel to and spacedinwardly of the adjacent side ll of the casing. The switch bar 5| extends for substantially' the entire distance between the rear side l3 and forward wall 23, and the forward end of the switch bar 5| is pivotally secured as at 52 to the lower panel 28 so that the switch bar may swing horizontally and slidably over the panel '28. Near its forward end, the switch bar 5i carries a laterally inwardly projecting contact button or point 52 for engagement with the posi v tive terminal 4| of the rearmost battery 49. The switch bar 5| is free from electrical contact-with the other batteries 4!) of the row of batteries, and

likewise free from electrical contact with the conductingstrips 43 and 50. The switch bar5| is further equipped at its rear endwith a longitudinally rearwardly extending handle 53 formed ofv electrical insulating material, and extending slidably through a horlzontalslot 54 formed in the rear side 13 and adjacent insulating strip 29, as shown. Sufllcient friction between the switch bar 5| and panel 28 exists, so that the switch bar will tend to remain in any selected adjusted position. The switch bar 5| is swingable horizontally toward and away from the batteries 50, and has its inward travel limited by the engagement of the contact point 52 with the positive terminal ll of the rearmost battery. The outward or opening travel of the switch bar 5| is limited by the length of the slot 54. The switch bar 5| carries an upstanding ,L-shaped spring strip or conductor 55 near its forward end and between the forwardmost pair of batteries 40, as .shown. This spring strip' 55 includes a horizontal arm or extension 56, integral therewith and disposed at an elevation slightly above the batteries All and adjacent to the bottom face of the metal plate 33. The arm or extension '56 is spring biased into continuous electrical contact with the plate 33 and slidably engages the bottom of the plate at all times during the swinging of the switch bar 5| to and from its open and closed positions.

The conducting strip 55 is carried bodily by'the switch bar 5|.

, conducting strip 50 to the negative terminal 42 of the forwardmost battery 40.

A lens storage compartment 51 is provided between the lower panel 28 and bottom H, and rigidly mounted within this compartment 15I is' aplurality of vertically spaced superposed partitions or shelves 58, provided in their forward edges with large openings or recesses 59. The open sides of the recesses 59 are adjacent to the left hand casing side 12, Figure 6, and such casing side is provided adjacent to the compartment 57 with a rectangular opening 60, through which glass or plastics lenses BI may be withdrawn. A horizontally swingable cover or door 62 is hingedly connected as at 63 with the rear side l3, and this door serves as a closure member for the opening 69, as shown. The lenses 6| are rectangular, and of the proper width to enter the frames l5. As shown in Figure 6, one of the lenses BI is mounted within each frame or holder l5, for covering the openings M in the sides of the casing Ill. In this connection, it should be un derstood that the hinged cover 20 has an opening l4 and rectangular frame or holder l5 secured to its inner face, in the same manner as the sides l2 and rear side l3 are provided with the openings l4 and frames I5. Also, the'under face or bottom of the hinged top or lid [8 is preferably silvered to form a reflecting surface arranged in opposition to the top reflecting surface of the plate 33. All of the openings I 4 are thus arranged between vertically spaced reflecting surfaces, Figure 3. The shelves 58 of the compartment 51 accommodate spare lenses B'l or lenses of different colors and having different designations marked thereon. If desired, certain of the lenses 6| may be opaque, so that certain of the openings I4 may be blocked off completely, if desired.

I contemplate forming the lenses 6! in various colors, such as red, green and amber and providing them with certain words or designations to aid in the directing of traffic, such as stop, go, no left turn, detour, and the like. Obviously, any desired number of the lenses 6| may be provided, and any desired designations or markings may be provided upon the lenses so as to be arranged adjacent to the openings M when the lenses are in place within the frames I5. For example, one of the lenses 6| arranged adjacent to one side I 2 may be colored red and provided with the word Stop, Figure 6, while the lens 6| adjacent to the other side 12 may be colored green and provided with the word Go. The lens 6i adjacent to either the rear side l3 or front cover 20 may be colored amber like the amber or caution signal of a conventional traiiic light. With this arrangement, an oificer directing traffic with my lantern can merely hold the same suspended from the handle 26 and turn it to present the different colored lenses to an oncoming stream of traffic.

In Figure 9, I have shown a slightly modified form of lamp casing comprising the fiat bottom ll, sides [2, and rear side I3, integral therewith; this construction being identical to the construction of the casing It! in the first form of the invention.

The casing IE is provided with a flat top or lid I 8', hingedly connected at [9' with the top edge of a front cover 20. The lower edge of the front cover 20' is hingedly connected at 2| to the front wall or panel 23. The rear free edge of the lid I8 carries a catch element 24' for engagement with a companion catch element 25', fixedly secured to the top of the rear side Hi. All other parts of the lamp are identical with those corresponding parts shown and described in connection with the first form of the invention.

With the arrangement shown in Figure 9, when it is necessary to change any of the lenses El, it is necessary to open only the lid [8. It

6 only becomes necessary to open the cover' 20' when changing batteries.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Havin thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A portable trafiic lantern comprising an upstanding casing including side walls having window openings, lenses mounted upon the side walls and covering the openings thereof, an

upper substantially horizontal panel mounted within the casing below the lenses, a light bulb mounted upon said upper panel, a lower substantially horizontal panel mounted within the casing below the upper panel, a plurality of dry cell batteries detachably secured to the lower panel and electrically connected in series, circuit means connecting the batteries and light bulb and including a switch which is manually operable for lighting and extinguishing the bulb.

2. A portable trafiic lantern comprisin a casing including a side wall having an opening, a lens mounted upon the side wall adjacent to the opening, an upper substantially horizontal panel mounted within the casing below the lens, a light bulb mounted upon the upper panel, a lower substantially horizontal panel mounted within the casing below the upper panel, batteries mounted upon the lower panel and electrically connected in series, a horizontally swingable switch bar pivotally secured to the lower panel and adapted to contact a terminal of said batteries for closing a circuit through the light bulb, and circuit means connected with the light bulb batteries and switch bar and energized when the switch bar contacts said terminal of the batteries.

3. A portable traffic lantern comprising an upstanding casing includin a side wall having an opening, a lens mounted upon the side wall adjacent to the opening, a substantially. horizontal metal plate mounted within the casing below the lens, a light bulb mounted upon the metal plate, a substantially horizontal insulating plate mounted within the casing and spaced below the metal plate, a plurality of batteries detachably secured to the insulatin plate and electrically connected in series, a horizontally swingable switch bar pivotally connected with the insulatingplate andswingable into and out of contact with a terminal of said batteries, a spring contact element secured to the switch bar for movement therewith and slidably engaging said metal plate in all positions of the switch bar, and circuit means connecting the light bulb and batteries.

4. In a portable traffic lantern, a casing, a substantially flat metal plate fixedly mounted within the casing, a light bulb secured to the metal plate and having an outer terminal electrically connected with the metal plate and an inner terminal spaced from one side of the metal plate, a substantially flat insulating plate fixedly mounted within the casing and spaced from the metal plate, a plurality of batteries mounted upon the insulating plate and arranged between the insulating and metal plates and electrically connected in series, a spring conductor connected with the insulating plate and contacting said inner terminal of the light bulb, circuit means connecting the spring conductor and one terminal of said batteries, a switch barpivotally connected with the insulating plate and adapted to contact one ter minal of another of. said batteries, and a spring conductor secured to the switch bar and bodily carried thereby and slidably contacting the metal plate in all positions of the switch bar;

5. In a portable traflie lantern, a casing including a pair of spaced opposed side walls, a rear side connecting said side Walls, a bottom secured to the side walls and said rear side and forming therewith a unitary structure, the front side and top of the casing being open, a hinged cover for the open top of the casing, a cover for the open front side of the casing and hingedly secured to the free edge of the first named hinged cover and bodily carried thereby, latch means for releasably holding said hinged covers in closed positions, at least one of said side walls of the casing having an opening, a lens detachably mounted upon the last mentioned side wall adjacent to the opening thereof, a fixed panel mounted within the casing, alight bulb mounted upon the fixed panel, battery means mounted within the casing below said fixed panel and electrically connected with the light bulb and including a switch for opening and closing a circuit through the light bulb, and shelf means within the casing below said battery means for holding spare lenses.

JOSEPH G. MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,312,649 Kelly Mar. 2, 1943 2,375,121 McClellan May 1, 1945 2,401,940 Lange June 11, 1946 2,469,581 Slosar May 10, 1949 20 2,491,094

Du Franc Dec. 13, 1949 

